“A Poet’s Heart is Always Breaking”

Artists: John Murillo, Todd Davis, Erin Marie Lynch, Issam Zineh

This Alice Walker quote ends with the observation that “through that broken window” artists see the world. Melancholy, longing and the raw truth are often revealed in a poet’s words. So how do poets protect their emotions when writing intimately about profound subjects? How is the craft of poetry best executed while navigating tenderness and vulnerability?